Deuteronomy 17:1 “…for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God.”
Observation: Moses has been addressing the Hebrews, giving them God’s guidance before they advance into the Promised Land, and in this verse he addresses qualifications for the sacrifice. The fuller passage says, “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God.”
Application: Why is that, Lord? I have known all the years of my walk with you that only a perfect sacrifice, one without spot or blemish, would be received by you. But this morning I have stumbled over this idea of something that you made could be detestable to you. So I ask, why must it be so? You have made all of creation, and it isn’t our fault if we come with spot or blemish, is it?
The next dozen verses shift to admonition as to how people who behave aberrantly are to be treated. He expects –even demands – that people who transgress His covenant by doing what is evil are to be brought to the gate and stoned to death. (v. 5) In fact, His standard is so severe that if anyone even acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest, he is to die so evil would be purged from Israel (v 12). His stated goal? “Then all the people will hear and be afraid and will not act presumptuously again.” (v. 13)
OK Lord, I get it. I promise to never again doze during another sermon! But here’s the conundrum: I can understand why my bad behavior might lead to stoning. Behaviors are a choice I make, an acting out to pursue pleasures or values God has warned me away from by Word or by Spirit. But why would you find one of your created ones detestable for a simple spot or blemish they were born with? Congenital defects seem to bring an unfairly harsh assessment of their usefulness to you.
Malachi 1:8 brings clarity when it says, when you present the blind, the lame or the sick for sacrifice, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Do you think he would be pleased with you or receive you kindly?
Here’s the thing. God is perfect in every way, holy beyond my imagining. And in the Old Testament, sacrifices were a type of Christ, perfect and sinless before the Father. His is the only sacrifice that could make me acceptable to be welcomed into His presence. So is it “fair” that a physical birth defect be as disqualifying as ill behaviors I may have chosen? Of course it is. Psalm 24:3-5 says it well: “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord and who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
Prayer: Father God, You knew from the beginning that I could never arrive in your presence without spot or blemish apart from the perfection of Jesus. And because of His example, you stir in me a hunger to constantly long for my decisions, my performance, my spending to be pleasing in your sight. So give me the clean hands and pure heart of Jesus so my every attempt at sacrifice…my thought life, my financial gifts and my service would result in blessing from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.